Essential Questions

Essential Questions for Teachers

--with thanks to Faith Rogow, Ph

Am I trying to tell the students what the message is? Or am I giving students the skills to determine what they think the message(s) might be?

Have I let students know that I am open to accepting their interpretation, as long as it is well substantiated, or have I conveyed the message that my interpretation is the only correct view?

At the end of the lesson, are students likely to be more analytical? Or more cynical?

-- from Literacy for the 21st Century: An Overview and Orientation Guide to Media Literacy

Who is the Teacher in Your Classroom?

What is the best way to collaborate with parents?

How can teachers best model effective use of emerging digital tools?

Why should we use questions as the scope and sequence of unit?

What is the best way to frame connections between content, skill, and assessment choices?

What is the role of the tech teacher in an elementary or middle school?

What does it mean to be part of a team?

What is the role of the specials classes in elementary or middle school?


1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity
Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student
learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments.


2. Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments
Teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessments incorporating contemporary tools and resources to
maximize content learning in context and to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes identified in the NETS•S.

3. Model Digital-Age Work and Learning
Teachers exhibit knowledge, skills, and work processes representative of an innovative professional in a global and digital society.


4. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility
Teachers understand local and global societal issues and responsibilities in an evolving digital culture and exhibit legal and ethical
behavior in their professional practices.

5. Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership
Teachers continuously improve their professional practice, model lifelong learning, and exhibit leadership in their school and professional
community by promoting and demonstrating the effective use of digital tools and resources.

These are questions that I found online or wrote myself.

I’ve been talking with students and teachers for a few months about the ideas within these questions. They will be used for a number of projects throughout the rest of the year, mostly in the tech lab but scaffolded in the classrooms as well. All the NETS for students apply here.

Essential questions for students in the tech lab


In a world of constant technological change, what skills should we learn?

How do I choose which technological tools to use and when it is appropriate to use them?

What are my responsibilities for using technology?

What constitutes misuse and how can it best be prevented?

How can I transfer what I know to new technological situations/experiences?

Can we control the pace at which technology is created? Should we, even if we can?

How does technology extend human capabilities?

What are the positive and negative consequences of technology?

Should technologies that produce negative impact continue to be used?

When are the most sophisticated tools required and when are the simplest tools best?

http://www.state.nj.us/education/aps/njscp/Phase1allAreas.pdf

What does it mean to be part of a team?

Why do this project as a team instead of individually?

1. Creativity and Innovation
Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes
using technology. Students:
a. apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes.
b. create original works as a means of personal or group expression.
c. use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues.
d. identify trends and forecast possibilities.

2. Communication and Collaboration
Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance,
to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. Students:
a. interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments
and media.
b. communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats.
c. develop cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with learners of other cultures.
d. contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems.

3. Research and Information Fluency
Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information. Students:
a. plan strategies to guide inquiry.
b. locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and
media.
c. evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks.
d. process data and report results.

4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making
Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make
informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources. Students:
a. identify and define authentic problems and significant questions for investigation.
b. plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project.
c. collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make informed decisions.
d. use multiple processes and diverse perspectives to explore alternative solutions.

5. Digital Citizenship
Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical
behavior. Students:
a. advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology.
b. exhibit a positive attitude toward using technology that supports collaboration, learning, and productivity.
c. demonstrate personal responsibility for lifelong learning.
d. exhibit leadership for digital citizenship.

6. Technology Operations and Concepts
Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations. Students:
a. understand and use technology systems.
b. select and use applications effectively and productively.
c. troubleshoot systems and applications.
d. transfer current knowledge to learning of new technologies.


For animal habitat project…2nd-3rd grade

Why is it important to stop deforestation?

What would it take to get all of America to recycle newspapers every day?

I left the incorrect post up just in case anyone wanted to see the links.